Hi ,

I just read an article on The Independent with the headline: "Americans spent $71 billion on weight loss drugs in 2023 - as much as the country spent on foreign aid." Wow! That's a lot of money and a lot of weight lost. There is no doubt that these drugs are a real game changer. They have provided much needed help, especially for people with chronic, long term obesity and associated diabetes. 

I'm not against these drugs, but many people are using them who only have a few pounds to lose, and other people who would benefit by changing their relationship with food. Another study shows that most of the people using these drugs (80%) will have stopped using the drugs within 2 years. The main reason people stop using the drugs are because of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach paralysis, and constipation. Other people stop because they can't afford them anymore.

What all this shows is that people are desperate for a quick fix but these drugs aren't the magical cure-all social media has portrayed them to be. Most people aren't able to take the drugs long term and when they

stop, the weight is quickly gained back. Some people who have been on the drugs longer than 2 years are beginning to gain weight back while on the drugs. The body adapts being on the drugs.